


Birth of the Red Hood

by redroseworks



Series: Earth-116 [38]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Hood: Lost Days, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Good Parent Talia al Ghul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:09:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22980763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redroseworks/pseuds/redroseworks
Summary: Jason Todd died. And now... he's back. Well okay he's been back for awhile but now he's healed enough to remember things more clearly. To remember who he was before. To remember a lot about his life before he died, parts of it at least. The effects of the Lazarus Pit have changed him from the child that he was.And he's fucking gonna kill Ra's al Ghul.
Relationships: Athanasia al Ghul & Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Damian Wayne, Mara al Ghul & Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul & Jason Todd
Series: Earth-116 [38]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1395514
Comments: 8
Kudos: 81





	1. Waking Up To Ash And Dust

June 2014 

Jason woke up in a room that took him to recognize. A small girl was sleeping in a chair with her head on his leg.He took a second to recognize her. Asia. Athanasia. Talia’s daughter. Talia’s and Bruce’s daughter. 

There was also a son; Damian. Twins they were twins. 

“You’re awake.” Talia stood in the doorway. She looked as if she had been through a fight. Damian was by her side.

“You live again.” Damian gave him a small smile.

“How? Why-?” He asked.

“The Pit. I threw you into it a second time. I had to, you saved Damian, Athanasia, and Mara. There was a fight with my elder brother. ” Talia said. 

“The Joker-” Jason started to shake. He died. He died. He remembered dying. 

“Shush, little one. You must not hurt yourself.” She moved to his bedside.

“Did I really die?”

“Yes but I brought you back. When I heard of your death… I stole your body and brain from the funeral home and left a wax mannequin in your place. The Lazarus Pit could only heal so much. But I see a second dip healed more.” She explained. 

“But why?” 

“For Bruce. For your dad. He was heartbroken but I wanted you to recover first…” 

Jason looked at her. “Did he kill the Joker?”

“No. Jason, you know he would never kill.”

“But the Joker killed me!” Jason yelled. 

Athanasia sat up and looked at him with fear in her eyes but then she smiled and her eyes might as well done an anime sparkle thing.

“Jason! You’re awake!” She said, hugging him. 

“Uh yeah. I guess I am, Asia.” 

Looking at her made him remember more. Talia’s brother, what’s his name aka asshole, had made an attack on Athanasia and Damian. Little Mara stood up against her own father and Jason jumped in front of a sword meant for one of the children. 

Memories flooded him. 

Athanasia stood in his room. “Jason. I need help.”

He had been reading a book. Pride and Prejudice. "With what, Asia?"

"Getting bandages and antibiotic ointment for Mara. The cabinet is too high for me."

"Sure thing."

The stockroom was close to his room. It had emergency supplies. 

"Change out the bandages every day and clean the wound. Then add more ointment." Jason told her, his little sister.

Damian had held a sword out to him. “Spar with me.” 

“Okay.” Jason only knew fencing. 

The small boy struck to almost kill. But he was smiling. He was clearly having fun. 

He rarely smiled. Damian was a hard boy who was being raised to be the leader of the League of Assassins.

Damian wouldn’t hurt him. He wouldn’t kill him. He was Damian’s brother after all. 

Talia pulled him out of the pit. She looked down at him with a face that reminded him when his mom would look for him after he hid from Willis.

“Dear boy, I hope I have not failed you. What have I done?” She whispered, tearing running down her face.

Jason smiled at Athanasia and Talia. They were his family. “Talia… thank you for saving me.”

Talia ruffled his hair. “I am still sorry for it. Jason, there are side effects of the Pit and you do not deserve them.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m alive. I’m alive and… I’m going to kill the goddamn Joker.” Jason said. 

Talia pulled back her hand. “Jason-”

“He beat me nearly to death and blew me up just to finish the job. He killed my biological mother too. I tried to save her. She sold me out to him and I still tried to save her. He’s a monster. I’m going to kill him.”

“If you truly want to kill the Joker… you’ll need training. There are many assassins who owe me a favor or two.” Talia said. 

“Thanks. Talia, you have done more for me already than either of my biological parents. Even the woman who raised me, my mom, she couldn’t really be there for me most of the time. I took care of her because she couldn’t take care of even herself.” Jason smiled. 

“Yeah! Aunt Shiva could train him like she trained me!” Athanasia said. 

“Lady Shiva?” Jason asked.

Athanasia nodded. “Yeah!”

“She may not. She has her hands full with certain things.” Talia said. 

“I’d rather not see her again. Last time I saw her I was Robin.” Jason said. 

Talia sucked in a breath. “Speaking of Robin…”

“What? Did Dick take back the name?”

“No. Another boy is Robin.” 

“What?”

“I wouldn’t want you to find out later.” 

Jason sat up straight and clenched his fists. Bruce replaced him. “A new son?”

“No… not a son. But the boy has only just lost his own father. Bruce has already tried to adopt him.” 

Jason didn’t say a word. Green began to cloud his vision and he screamed. Bruce replaced him and left the Joker alive. 

God fucking dammit. 

He got replaced. He was just something that got broke and Bruce found a replacement probably before his body was cold. 

The kid probably sleeps in Jason’s old bed and Bruce probably calls him chum and plays games of catch with him.

“Jason!” A cry interrupted his thoughts and his vision cleared. Athanasia was staring at him. He wasn’t in bed anymore. He was standing, holding Athanasia up by her shirt. She was crying.

He set her down and felt horrified and ashamed. “I’m sorry.” 

“No. I’m sorry, I should have known that information would trigger a bad response. And the effects of the Lazarus Pit would turn you violent.” Talia said as she pulled Athanasia into her arms as if she was protecting her. 

And she was. Protecting Asia from him. He felt sick. She was a kid. She was a kid he loved like a sister. Fuck, legally she was his sister. And he hurt her.

The green started to creep back and he back away from them. He wouldn’t hurt them. 

He stumbled to the ground trying to calm himself down.


	2. Mara

The twins barely left Jason alone while he finished healing. Athanasia liked to just snuggle up to him and tell him about what she did that day. Damian would sit on the foot of Jason’s bed and the two of them would take turns reading books; Jason would read ones in English and Damian would read ones in Arabic. 

Through so far he liked it best when both of them would just snuggle up to him and let him read them a book. 

They were both small enough to fit on the bed with him. He was surprised to learn he had grown to be six feet and three inches over the time since he died. 

He had only been four feet and nine inches when he died. He was a late bloomer Talia said. He knew why. His mom, Catherine, didn’t always have the money to feed both of them and pay the bills. Hell, she barely would have enough to feed one of them. So both of them barely ate. 

So he used to be small. But the Pit healed his body from malnutrition. Yet he still had autopsy scars. He had to regrow all of his organs in the pit except for his brain; there had only been so much that the pit could heal. At least his breasts were still gone. He had only gotten top surgery the summer before he died. He had just barely been old enough where the doctor and Bruce felt okay with it. But he wanted it and had been taking hormones since he was thirteen. 

“Jason, are you okay?” Damian asked. 

Jason realized he had stopped reading. “Yes. Just zoned out for a second. Where were we… right here. ‘I’m not Count Olaf,” Count Olaf said...” He continued reading until Talia and Mara entered the room. 

“Damian. Athanasia. Your grandfather wants to speak to you both.” Talia said. 

“But Oummi, I want to hear the rest of the story.” Athanasia whined.

“As do I.” Damian added. 

“We can finish it later.” Jasn told them.

“Yes, you can finish it later. Hurry along now, please.” Talia said. Damian and Athanasia got up from the bed and made their way out. 

Jason frowned. “They’re scared of him.”

“I know. Trust me, I know.” Talia looked ashamed. 

Jason looked at Mara and formed a small smile. “You haven’t come to see me yet.”  
Mara pursed her lips. “Father was already cross with me.”

“Talia. Is your brother still around?”

Talia rolled her eyes. “Dusan still serves a purpose for my father.”

“He tried to kill your children. Fuck, he tried to kill his own daughter.” Jason said. If Jason saw Dusan again he would kill him. What kind of man tries to kill his own child?

“I was surprised and shocked that my father decided to let him off so easily but not…”

“But not?” Jason looked at her.

“He wants to punish Mara.”

“What!? She’s just a kid!” Jason could see the green creeping into his vision and started to calm himself.

“I know that’s why I brought her here. Also as it is, Ra’s does not know you still live. He may kill you if he learns that you still live. This place was my childhood home and he does not come here ever. Neither does Dusan. Mara and you are safe here.” Talia said. 

Jason looked at Mara. She was only seven, a year younger than the twins. Yet she had a scar across her face. Damian had accidently caused it and Ra’s praised him. She was not a child to Ra’s, she was barely even a granddaughter to his eyes. She was just a kid but at the same time she wasn’t just a kid. “How close are we to Infinity Island?”

“About a day by boat then helicopter. The twins are speaking to him over a computer. I told him I’d rather my children be away from Dusan for a time. I was surprised he allowed me to leave. I snuck you off the island. I snuck Mara off two days ago.” Talia explained. 

Jason nodded. “So she is definitely safe?”

“For now.”

Mara remained silent.

“Are you going to return to Infinity Island?” Jason asked.

“I’ll have to. So will the twins.”

“Where will me and Mara go?”

“You’ll remain here.”

“But what if someone figures it out? There has to be a place for Mara at least.” 

Talia frowned. “There may be a place. I have an older sister. Father disowned her many years ago.” 

“Can you trust her?”

“I’ve met her a few times before and I know she would never harm a child.”

“Grandfather says that Nyssa is a traitor.” Mara said.

“Your grandfather sometimes is misguided, Mara.” Jason said.

“I know. But what if Nyssa betrays me and gives me to Ra’s? Or she kills me?” 

“That won’t happen. I promise. I’ll contact her and Jason… will you take Mara to Nyssa?” Talia asked.

“Of course.”

“Good. I’ll also be in contact with you about new trainers and mentors.” 

“Think your sister might some me show old fighting styles?” Jason asked.

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her when you get there. I’m already asking her for one favor.” Talia said.

“She likes kids and I’m pretty sure I’m still a kid, right?”

“Hmm you’ll still have to ask her yourself, Jason.”

“Alright. I will.” Jason smiled.

Talia left and Mara stared at him.

“How are you holding up, kid?” He asked. 

“Father only had me in order to have a rival heir to Damian.” Mara said.

“And your mom?”

“My what?”

“Your mom. Mama? Ma? Mother? Mommy? Mami? Ima? Oummi? ” Jaosn asked her.

“I never had a mother. She served her purpose when she gave birth to me and I was not albino like my father. Grandfather sees him as flawed.”

“First off, having albinism isn’t a bad thing, your grandfather is an asshole. Secondly, your father is an asshole. Women aren’t just for the purpose of birthing.” Jason groaned.

“Of course we’re not. Me and Athanasia are warriors. We are to-

“Mara. You’re not warriors, you’re children.”

“We were not raised like children.”

“No you weren’t but that can change.”

Mara smiled at him. 

“Now come here and give me a hug, Mars.”

“Mars?” She asked as she moved towards him.

“Nicknames are signs of affection.” Jason said as she climbed into his bed and hugged him.


	3. Leaving

Jason carefully put Mara's bag into the car Talia had given him. Thank goodness Alfred taught him how to drive before he died or else he would.have to let Mara drive or they would have to find a less private way to travel to a cold ass European country of all places. 

"So you're really sending us to Germany?" Jason asked.

"Yes. Nyssa lives there during the European summer." Talia said as she set a bag of knives into a hidden compartment in the front passenger seat.

"I thought she didn't talk to Ra's."

"She doesn't. She talked to me years ago when I was still a child. She told me if I ever needed anything to call her. She gave me two numbers. One for her home in Germany and one for her family's home in the States." 

"Doesn't she have a cellphone? Wait, her family?" 

"Her daughter and son in law. She lives with them for all but two months in the year. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren live nearby." Talia said before slamming the car door. She was avoiding something. It was like she was carefully not saying things that said too much about Nyssa. Jason knew Ra's was old but he didn't know how old Talia or her sister was.

"So we're all set?" Jason asked.

Talia. "Yes. You and Mara can leave tonight. Your fake ids and passport say you are Lee and Song Zhang. Brother and sister. You're American tourists and Mara is to be very shy, or else people will notice she's not American." Talia said.

"So we'll be safest when we reach white people land." Jason laughed. 

Talia rolled her eyes. "Not even running from my father stops your humor." 

"I'm not wrong." 

"No. You aren't." Talia gave him a smile.

That night he ate with his newest family. 

"Do Jason and Mara really have to leave?" Anathasia asked. At least that's what Jason could understand, she was speaking Arabic. She had been the whole night almost. Jason only understood half of what she said.

"Yes, little one. But you will see them again." Talia patted Athanasia's hair. 

Jason had just started to notice how Athanasia clearly inherited the bat glare from Bruce. 

"I promise, kiddo, I'll see you again." Jason smiled at her. She just nodded. She was just like that sometimes. Silent. Damian liked to be heard and listened to while she just liked to be.

It was kinda funny how Damian was more like Talia; cold and demanding yet kind towards those they care about. They carry themselves in a way that makes it clear they could kill someone.

Athanasia was more like Bruce. She lived better in the shadows and darkness. Out of the spotlight. Yet when she is thrusted into it, she plays her part perfectly. Sure, Brucie Wayne and the Demon's Blade were very different parts but it's all about the metaphors. 

Most people would assume that the son would act like the father and the daughter like the mother.

"What's Aunt Nyssa like?" Mara asked. 

Talia frowned slightly. "She's wise and cold. Yet she also cares a lot for those she considers family. She is also powerful. Dangerous. She is his only child he has let use the Pit." 

Athanasia's cup shattered loudly as it fell to the floor. 

"Athanasia, are you alright?" Talia asked.

"Yes, Oummi. Just a slip up." Athanasia said.

A memory flashed in Jason's mind. 

"Grandfather… it was just a slip up." Athanasia cried. Jason was cleaning up a broken vase. 

Ra's frowned at her. "Al Ghuls don't have little slip ups." 

Jason flinched when he saw the knife go into Athanasia's chest. The small girl coughed out blood.

"Not again… please Grandfather." 

Ra's pulled the knife out and looked at Jason. "Pick her up and follow me."

Jason picked up Athanasia. His hands were shaking. 

She was dying. 

Oh god. Oh god no. Please don't let him lose her. She was just a child.

He followed Ra's as Athanasia bled all over him. He followed Ra's to the Lazarus Pit. 

"Drop her in. Perhaps this time she learns better." 

"Jason!" Talia snapped at him.

"He put her in the Pit." Jason said. 

Talia frowned. "Yes, he let Nyssa use it. She has her own Pit now. Though it is small." 

"No not Nyssa. Athanasia." 

Talia's face darkened. "He what?" 

Jason looked over at Athanasia. "He killed her and had me place her in the Pit for breaking a vase." 

"Al Ghuls don't have little slip ups. They don't make mistakes. They are not slow nor do they have meltdowns." Athanasia said.

"That's not true. How many times did he kill you, saying those things." Talia reached for her daughter.

"Too many to count." Athanasia was shaking. Her eyes glowed green. Talia flinched. 

"We're all going to Nyssa. Athanasia, Damian, go pack your things. Now." Talia said.

Jason realized that Ra's had never directly harmed the twins in front of Talia. She could force herself not to blame him for them getting hurt in the training he made them do but he killed Athanasia and brought her back multiple times.

It was one thing to let the man who hurt Jason and tried to hurt the twins but it was a whole other thing to kill and bring back her daughter over and over. That had to be torture. Jason's memories of being in the pit were still fresh. 

Jason stared at Talia as the twins left the room. A small glow of green simmered in her eyes. 

She had never used the Pit for herself but she has stepped into it with Jason and with her father. It has never fully healed her but it has touched her.

It also ran in her DNA. Her eyes were always a greenish brown color. Always tinted with the Lazarus green. As did the twins. And Mara. And his. He was connected to them through the Pit. 

And now they were about to be the enemies of Ra's, the one who was a symbol for the Pit.


	4. Death and Birth

Talia had Jason drive. She seemed too upset and pissed to drive anyway. SHe also had wanted to sit in the backseat with the twins.

Talia and the twins fell asleep, leaving Jason and Mara awake. Mara was quiet. 

“How are you doing, kiddo?” He asked her. 

“I’m scared. Grandfather may kill us all.” 

“I won’t let him harm you or Talia or the twins.”

“...can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” Jason nodded, keeping his eyes on the night road.

“Did you have an… Oummi?” 

“I had a mom,” Jason felt tears in his eyes, “she didn’t give birth to me but she raised me. She loved me but she got ill. Cancer. She also had an issue with drugs. I took care of her a lot of the time after my father was gone.” 

“I’m sorry. What about the woman who gave birth to you?” 

Sheila had told him in the warehouse that she had lied. He still had no idea who his birth mother was. “No idea. There were some candidates. Lady Shiva, a Mossad agent, and a doctor who betrayed me and left me for dead.” 

“That’s horrible. I wonder who my mother is.” 

Jaosn glanced at her for a second. “One of these days we’ll find out.” Jason hoped that the woman wasn’t dead. Dusan seemed like the kind of guy who would have sex with a woman, have her have his child, and then kill her. But he wouldn’t say that to Mara. 

“Do you think she would love me? I’m disfigured and I have betrayed Grandfather.” 

“I… I don’t know if she would love you but you are not less of a person because you got a scar or because you betrayed that boob.” 

Mara giggled like a real child and Jason smiled. It was nice to hear her giggle. She was more serious than the twins. More afraid of messing up than Athanasia. Wait. Hold up.

“Can I ask you something?” Jason asked her. 

“Okay.” 

"Has Ra's ever put you in the pit?" 

"No." Her voice was stone.

"You can tell me if he did." 

"He's shown me it while holding me tightly. I was bleeding. My nurse took me away after he told me I am nothing but a spot in his bloodline. The pit is not mine to use." 

"Mars… I'm gonna stab him one of these days and tell him that he's a dick." 

Mara smiled at him. "Good. It's what he deserves." 

After a week of near nonstop driving Talia had Jason pull up to a hotel.

"Nyssa said to meet her here." Talia said.

"Why?" Jason asked

"Just in case. She can't risk us going straight to her home." 

Jason nodded and shook Mara awake. "Mars, get up."

Talia woke her twins, speaking in Arabic. They woke up with grumbles that reminded Jason so much of their father. 

His dad.

Bruce. Batman. Bruce.

He blinked. He didn't want to think about all that right now.

"Let's go. Nyssa will be in the lobby." Talia said. They got out. 

Nyssa was easy to spot. Not too many Arabic women with bright green eyes were wandering around.

She was a little paler than Talia. She also wore her hair short. Her clothes were simple. A floral sleeveless button up and dark blue jeans. And sneakers. Not really the al Ghul style. However as they got closer Jaosn noticed the large and strange looking bracelet and the Anubis necklace.

"Talia." Nyssa smiled at her sister warmly. Jason studied her. She's far older than most of the people he had ever met.

"Nyssa. Thank you for agreeing to take us all in. I know it's all of a sudden but…" 

"You're my sister. I don't have much family left." Nyssa hugged Talia.

"Thought you had a family in America." Athanasia said. 

"I do… but it's smaller than what it was before the camps." Nyssa glances off. 

The camps. Holy shit. This woman despite looking young was a Holocaust survivor. 

"So we're all good now?" Jason asked.

"Not so, Jason Tood." A voice called from behind him. 

Nyssa frowned. "Shit. Shit. Shit. He followed you all." 

Talia drew out her knife.

Jason watched as assassins appeared from the crowds of people.

"Talia… Nyssa… take the kids and run. I'll distract them." Jason said.

"Jason…" Talia looked at him.

"I love you, I haven't had a mom in a long time. Asia, Mars, Dami. Love you all too. Now run." Jason said as he pulled a sword out of Talia's suitcase. She had been worried the whole trip but she had been coming to doubt that anyone was following.

They ran. Jason charged at Ra's. The world went green.

He would not let his family be harmed. Or Nyssa. Since she was Talia's sister.

He had been unconsciously training as an assassin since he had first been brought back. And before that he was trained as Robin. And before that he had to fight every damn day of his life. 

He would die if the others get away.

Talia and the kids will be safe. And he would be happy.

A mirror in the lobby clears away the green for a second.

His face is covered in blood. Bright red blood. 

Like a red helmet. Or a Red Hood.

The sword through his stomach is welcomed because he can hear Ra's screaming. "They got away!" 

To which Lady Shiva replied. "The boy is useful. Talia sees him as a son. Another dip in the Pit will do him some good." 

She touched his face in such a manner that was strange.

"I promised Catherine I would stay away but I will not let you die." She whispered as the world went black around Jason. He did not hear her.

Once again he woke up screaming in green. But this time there was no Talia, cradling him. Only Ra's and his assistants pulling him out.

Like a fucking fish.


End file.
